W3C stands for World Wide Web Consortium.
The W3C is the international standards organization responsible for developing the web platform standards, including the JavaScript APIs that define WebRTC.
W3C’s role in WebRTC
The W3C WebRTC Working Group defines the APIs that developers use to build WebRTC applications. This includes:
- PeerConnection API (RTCPeerConnection) for establishing media sessions
- getUserMedia API (MediaDevices) for accessing camera and microphone
- Data Channel API (RTCDataChannel) for peer-to-peer data
- getStats API for monitoring session quality
- Insertable Streams (WebRTC Encoded Transform) for media processing
While the W3C defines the JavaScript APIs, the underlying protocols are defined by the IETF RTCWeb working group. Both organizations work together to ensure the APIs and protocols are aligned.
